Fort Worth-based American Airlines has reached a settlement in a federal race discrimination lawsuit filed by three Black men who were removed from a flight at the request of white flight attendants.
The lawsuit, filed in May 2024, stemmed from a January flight from Phoenix to New York City.
The plaintiffs — Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal — alleged they were among a group of eight Black male passengers who were told to deboard the plane after a flight attendant complained of an unidentified passenger’s body odor.
“The plaintiffs were not responsible for any odor, were not seated together, and did not know each other before the incident,” reads a statement released on Thursday by the Public Citizen Litigation Group and Outten & Golden LLP.
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The lawsuit accused the airline of engaging in racial profiling and discrimination.
"It was horrifying. It was like I felt like I was in prison. I was walking down and people were staring at me and I was at the guillotine and my head was about to be chopped off at the end of it,” said Joseph, who spoke with NBC 5 earlier this year about how the incident made them feel singled out.
"It was horrible honestly, everyone was staring at me,” said Jackson.
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Following an internal investigation, American Airlines terminated the flight attendants responsible for the incident. In a statement to NBC 5, the airline emphasized that the situation did not reflect its values.
“American Airlines is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment to all customers. While we cannot comment on the specific details of the settlement, we have reached an amicable resolution regarding the lawsuit filed earlier this year. The agreement allows all parties to move forward and focus on what matters most – ensuring a safe and inclusive travel experience for every customer,” the statement reads.
On Wednesday, the plaintiffs filed a stipulation of voluntary dismissal, signaling that a settlement had been reached.
While the specific terms of the settlement remain confidential, the attorneys said American Airlines has committed to taking measures aimed at preventing future incidents of discrimination.
“We are very pleased that American Airlines took our complaint seriously, and we hope that this never happens to Black passengers or any other people of color again,” said Jackson, Jean Joseph, and Veal in a joint statement. “Our goal in speaking out has always been to create change. We are proud that we used our voices to make a difference in the lives of Black Americans.”
American Airlines has not disclosed the specific actions it will take to prevent similar incidents.
Legal counsel for the plaintiffs applauded the outcome as a step toward corporate accountability.
“Corporations have a pressing responsibility to ensure that customers are not mistreated on account of race,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group who represented the plaintiffs. “We appreciate that American Airlines treated this incident with the seriousness it deserves and agreed to correct course.”
Susan Huhta, a partner at Outten & Golden and co-counsel for the plaintiffs, noted the broader significance of the settlement.
“American Airlines’ commitment to take concrete actions to address discrimination is a significant departure from the way public companies have historically dealt with individual race discrimination claims,” said Huhta. “We are pleased to have reached a resolution that will allow these brave men to move forward with their heads held high.”
